The Detective and the Doppelganger
by Nefmacilwen
Summary: Maggie Sawyer meets Alex's doppelganger, Linda Danvers, from Earth-X, in Gotham City. Set after S03 Ep9. Read the first standalone part: The Other Alex Danvers before reading this one.


**A/N: I was sitting in traffic the week before when my muse wondered what if Alex's doppelganger from Earth-X was alive, what would she be doing? Especially if she knew Overgirl was dead. I hope you enjoy this part. I intend to write a meeting between Alex and Linda Danvers. That would be so much fun.**

 ** _"I hunger for your taste, your smell, the feel of your soul touching mine."_**

 ** _— Jack Llawayllyn_**

Detective Maggie Sawyer slipped the gun out from her side holster and let it dangle from her right hand as she stepped into an alley between two towering apartment complexes. She walked slowly, keeping her back to the mossy wall of one of the buildings. Her eyes tracked shadows through the steam that billowed up from vents in the ground. She was not expecting trouble but in Gotham City, anything was possible.

Maggie stepped around discarded food, plastic bottles and broken furniture. A baby wailed several floors above her head. She ignored the signs of life from behind closed doors as she reached the middle of the alley. Her nose twitched at the stench of rotted food wafting in the air. The rest of the walls were lined with dumpsters on either side. Earlier, she had received a tip about a dealer hurriedly stashing cocaine in here because he was running from the cops. It might be connected to her current dug case. She was tempted to take out a flashlight to peer between the dumpsters but, since she was alone, Maggie did not want to draw unnecessary attention to herself.

 _Well supposedly alone. I'm sure the Bat is around_. She wondered if she would ever escape heroes in capes. Or vigilante justice. At least she did not encounter any black ops Government agencies as yet. Small mercies.

She stood in front of the first set of dumpsters. Her stomach recoiled at the unpleasant task at hand. A sudden, strong breeze shifted the clouds and uncovered the full moon. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face while the breeze danced with the hair pulled back behind her shoulders. Shadows appeared haphazardly across the wall and dumpsters. Thankful for the light but not the wind chill, Maggie knelt down to search for anything that could hold ten kilos of cocaine. She pulled out a pair of latex gloves from the pockets of her black, leather jacket.

A man shouted from a nearby apartment. Maggie tensed and gripped her gun tighter. She listened for any follow up noises that would force her to breakdown a door to arrest a wife-beater. Nothing. She rested the gun between her feet as she snapped on the gloves. Maggie poked around the garbage, grimacing as she pushed aside someone's dirty underwear. _X-ray vision would come in really handy right now._ She shook her head.

One day she would stop thinking about them.

One day she would wake up without the gaping hole in her heart.

One day she would stop crying herself to sleep.

One day she might be enough for someone.

One day.

She was about to start the second dumpster when the air shifted. The hair at the back of her neck stood on edge. Nothing flitted at the corners of her eyes but she felt a subtle change behind her. _Friend or foe? Could be the Bat. Or the Girl. Or the dealer coming back for his merchandise._

This was Gotham City. Better safe than sorry. Maggie soundlessly peeled off her gloves while controlling her breaths to calm her racing heart. The gun was still between her feet. She felt the elusive energy shift further into the alley.

In a split second Maggie dropped the gloves, grabbed her gun, jumped and pivoted, swinging her arm to the right. Nothing moved.

Her heart pounded in her ears. She aimed the gun towards the darkness at the end of the alley. Someone was there. She felt it.

"Whoever you are, step out of the shadows now. I'm a cop and I will shoot you." Her command echoed down the alley. Fingers tightened on the trigger.

A tall figure with raised hands stepped into the moonlight and stopped several feet from Maggie. The figure was definitely female. Tall and lean with a familiar built.

"That's close enough," Maggie warned. The woman regarded her silently. Her long dark coat flapped in the wind. A black mask covered her neck up to her nose. Familiar dark eyes bore into hers. Maggie nearly faltered.

Those eyes haunted her dreams. The woman squared her hips and stood straight, almost military-like. _Oh God. Please._ She fantasized about this moment since she left National City. Fantasized that the love of her life would come looking for her in Gotham to apologise. To want her back. To realize that she was enough.

She found her voice. "Alex?" she croaked, "Alex is that you?" _Say yes._

The woman shifted slightly. "No."

Maggie's heart shattered again. She hardened her stance and glared at the woman. "Who are you?"

"Someone with a face you're acquainted with," the woman replied.

Maggie frowned. That voice. It was an octave lower and raspy but she will always know that voice. The countless times Alex whispered promises in Maggie's ear while they made love. The days they talked about everything and nothing. The times she confessed her dreams to Maggie under night skies like this one. Maggie will never forget that voice.

Against her better judgement, Maggie stepped closer to the stranger. She lowered her gun. Those beautiful dark eyes never left hers. As she stood in front of the woman, Maggie saw something flash in her eyes as her face softened for a few seconds before it turned blank.

She traced the shape of the woman's eyes, her face, her cheekbones, all the way down her body. Her chest tightened each time her brain screamed _Alex!_ at the similarities.

"My name is Linda," the woman said through her mask. Maggie looked up in time to see the woman-Linda- studying her. "Linda Danvers."

Maggie gasped and stumbled backwards. On instinct, the woman reached out a gloved hand but quickly pulled it away. Maggie caught herself as her head spun. _Danvers? Danvers? Is this a joke? Someone is messing with me. She's messing with me._

Maggie pointed her gun at the woman's face. "I'm going to ask you again. Who are you? Don't lie."

"I told you my name is Linda. I'm going to lower my mask ok. I'm not armed. I will never hurt you." She winced at those last words.

Maggie cocked her gun and nodded. Never breaking eye contact with Maggie, Linda Danvers peeled off her gloves, stuffed them into her coat and lowered the mask. All the air left Maggie as she gaped at the sight before her.

 _Alex._

 _Alex but not Alex._

Her knees almost buckled as Strength suddenly left her body. She lowered her trembling arm and fought back shocked tears. She mouthed wordlessly. The woman's eyes were brown like Alex's. Deep, intense and stunning. Just like Alex but different.

Without thinking Maggie took unsteady steps towards the woman-Linda- until she was inches away from her. She saw a muscle twitch near that familiar jawline she loved showering with butterfly kisses.

Her gazed went to Alex's – no, no – Linda's slightly parted lips. Maggie felt a warm sensation roll through her belly and down her thighs. _God Alex._ The woman was as still as a statue giving Maggie time to overcome her initial shock.

Her eyes widened at the scarring on the right side of her face. Silver marks scattered from her cheekbone down to the tip of Linda's ear. The skin was raised and puckered in some places. Maggie's heart squeezed in her chest as she thought of the pain this woman, who looked like Alex, must have suffered. She foolishly raised her hand to trace a scar to give the woman, who was not Alex but so much like Alex that Maggie struggled to form a rational thought; to give the woman comfort. To give herself desperate comfort.

"Don't," Linda Danvers whispered through clenched teeth.

Maggie hastily dropped her hand, "Sorry. I'm sorry. I – This – I'm not myself right now. Sorry. You look so much like her. You could be her."

 _I want you to be her._

She holstered her gun and focused on the present. "You're from another world, aren't you? Why are you here?" Sudden fear gripped Maggie. "Alex? Is Alex alright?" Her brain scrambled to remember the last time the news reported Supergirl. There was a terrible fight with a rogue Kryptonian in National City. Supergirl was beaten badly and missing for two days. _Did Alex travel to Earth-1 to ask Barry for help?_

Linda Danvers shrugged her shoulders. "I assume your Alex is alive because her sister seems to be back to normal. Yes I'm from another Earth. One that your Alex and her team travelled to recently."

Maggie frowned. "The DEO?"

The woman squinted her eyes. _Just like Alex._ "What's a DEO?"

 _Ok not the DEO._ "Never mind." Maggie could tell she had filed that information away for future use. "Why did they go to your world?"

Linda Danvers hesitated. "That's not important right now. I gave you the tip about the drugs here because I needed to talk to you. This case you're working on is too dangerous. High ranking corrupted police officials and government officials are involved and they can easily kill you. You need to stop."

"Hold up. Right there." Maggie took a few breaths to quell the rising, irrational anger and to remind herself that, even though this woman wore the face of her past, she was not.

Linda exhaled as though she sensed Maggie's discomfort. "I am not doubting your abilities as a competent Detective-."

Maggie raised a hand. A flicker of irritation passed over Linda Danvers' face. Maggie bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from grinning. No, this was not Alex but she had the same quirks as Alex. "How do you know dirty cops are involved?"

"I have my ways. Again, that's not important. What's important is that you back off this case."

Maggie groaned inwardly. Deja-vu. Deja-fucking-vu.

"Are all Alex's doppelgangers the same?" Maggie snapped.

Linda Danvers looked taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Stubborn, egotistical, proud, overly confident. Rules don't apply to them. Fight hard as hell to get what they want, self-preservation be dammed."

The woman blinked a few times before looking down at the ground. Maggie knew she was trying to hide a smirk. Suddenly Maggie desperately wanted to see her smile.

"Yes," Linda Danvers replied.

They fell silent, consumed in their individual thoughts until Linda sighed. "I'm sorry I troubled you Detective. It was not intentional. I knew there would have been a degree of upset once I revealed myself but I miscalculated. This is hurting you more than necessary. I should have found another way to warn you. Please forgive me." She started to turn away.

 _No! Not this time._ Maggie grabbed Linda's arm and tugged her forward. Linda hissed as she rounded on Maggie who held her ground. Furious eyes pierced into Maggie's determined ones. She melted as she studied those beautiful eyes. They were brown and familiar like Alex's but different. Linda's eyes were filled with painful ghosts, regret, defeat, anger and fire.

"You're not leaving until I get some answers," Maggie insisted. The arm flexed under her hand.

"You're taking a bad risk," Linda warned but Maggie ignored her. She was focused on the muscle quivering under her hand. Slowly, she trailed her fingers down past Linda's elbow over her long-sleeved coat. At the corner of her eye, she saw Linda's other hand curl into a fist. She risked a glance up to see Linda's eyes squeezed shut as Maggie fingers continued their path down to her wrist. _She's just as affected by this as I am. That could only mean…_

Fingers finally touched naked skin. Maggie's heart skipped a beat. Her wrist was soft. So soft. Maggie swallowed a lump in her throat. Her hands were just as strong as Alex's but Maggie felt more callouses on the palm of her hand. She saw small cuts and deep, purple scars criss-crossing each other. Her knuckles were a darker shade than the rest of her hand with pieces of missing flesh. Those hands had fought through hell.

"You have hands like a warrior," Maggie whispered, riveted by the stories she imagined Linda Danvers' hands could tell. She fought the urge to kiss each finger. She was quickly losing herself in the what-ifs.

The woman gently pulled her hand away. "Detective Sawyer. Please listen. This case can possibly ruin your career or get you killed."

"Or it can make my career."

Linda Danvers growled. "Not at the expense of your life. You need better officers on your task force."

"I know what I'm doing. I appreciate your concern but I didn't make Detective by running away from threats."

The woman threw up her hands in frustration. "Fine," she grumbled.

Maggie sensed her retreat again so she quickly said, "Tell me about those scars. Does your sister have super powers too?"

Danvers stilled. The pulse at the side of her throat moved rapidly. "Yes."

Maggie recognized the grief that clung to her face. _So much like Alex._ "What happened to her?" she prodded.

"She's dead," Linda said flatly, "your people killed her."

Maggie jerked back as though stung.

"To their defence, she and her army were trying to kill them first. It's a long story."

"Okay. Is that how you got those scars? You were trying to save her? I get it ok. I mean, Alex barely leaves Kara's side and will gladly take a bullet for her even though she's indestructible. So yeah, I get the sister thing."

Danvers slipped her hands into her pants pockets. "I wasn't on Earth-1 when it happened. My sister, my Kara, was sick. Her pod had flown too close to the sun so when she had landed on my Earth, there was too much radiation in her blood. Blood transfusions helped for a while but her organs started to fail. It was just a matter of time anyway."

Maggie sighed. "I'm sorry you lost her. I know how much she meant to you."

Linda Danvers did not reply.

 _She's not in a hurry to leave anymore._ Maggie smiled at her. "Tell me about your Earth."

That was the wrong thing to say. Danvers' faced twisted into an ugly sneer. "I didn't come here to chat Detective. And I may look like Alex Danvers but I'm not her so don't get comfortable. I came to warn you about your case and I did that. Good luck."

She whirled around and strode away.

Maggie was not fooled. She knew that tactic. "You're lying Danvers," she called out. It worked.

The woman stopped in her tracks. "Excuse me?"

Maggie steeled herself for the backlash. "You're lying. You've clearly been watching me for the past several weeks. If you wanted to get a message to me without us meeting, you could have because you're smart and resourceful. But you did it this way. Why?"

"You're playing with fire Detective Sawyer."

It was easy to believe that it was Alex talking to her. So easy that Maggie continued to push. "You wanted this interaction. Is there – Did you have – Is there someone like me on your Earth?"

No response.

A sickening feeling gnawed her gut. "Is she dead?"

Linda Danvers spun around and was in front of her so fast that Maggie almost missed it.

"Shut up," she fumed, "shut up about things you don't know. God why do you have to be so persistent? This is about you! Your safety. Your life! And all you want to talk about is me and my Earth. Just think about yourself for once damnit! Think about your future."

Something inside Maggie cracked. Maybe it was there under the surface waiting for the right trigger or maybe it was because Alex Danvers' doppelganger yelling at her and acting as though she cared.

"Future?" Maggie jabbed a finger into Linda Danvers' chest as she raised her voice, "what future? I'm sure you've noticed that woman who proposed to me, who promised me a lifetime together, suddenly decided that I wasn't enough. So now my future is here. Catching bad guys, crooked cops and hopefully living until my retirement, if someone doesn't kill me first. So forgive me if I ask about you because right now, my life is a depressing pile of shit."

Maggie turned and walked a few paces away to pull herself together. She lashed out at the wrong person who obviously had her own demons to fight. She scrubbed her face and inhaled the musty air to clear her head. She was about to apologize for her outburst when Linda started talking.

"My Earth is very, very different from this. My sister and I were ranking army officials. She was my General. We upheld the law to the best of our abilities. Many disagreed with the laws of our land, but they were the law. We had a good life. There were many resistance groups that kept trying to destabilize the country and the armed forces, so we were always in a battle. No one knew the General was ill. That was probably one of the best kept secrets of my Earth."

Maggie faced Linda as she continued. "I tried everything I could to find a remedy for my sister. She was my life. But one day I was in my lab working on another failed cure when one of my Lieutenants brought in new spy recruits." Her shoulders sagged as her voice broke, "She was the most beautiful person I've ever seen." She looked at Maggie with an intense hunger that took Maggie's breath away. It was the same look Alex used to give her when she came home after thirty-six sometimes forty-eight hour missions.

Linda Danvers dragged her eyes away. "I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. Hell I couldn't command with her near me. My heart would race anytime I glimpsed her. She was dangerous to me so I drafted her under my sister's command. She easily became my sister's favourite spy for the resistance groups. She was quick, lethal, and brilliant and always steps ahead of the enemy. I became so obsessed with her. It was humiliating."

Maggie frowned at her choice of words. "Why do you think it's humiliating to love her?"

She gave Maggie a sad look. "I was weak for her, but I never let it show, especially to her. I was a commander of the elite army. No one questioned my orders, not even my sister. I couldn't show any vulnerability to the people who served under me because they relied on me to lead them into countless victories. My country depended on me to maintain structure and stability. So anything that went against my duty was a weakness. At the end of it all, she was the best part of me."

"How did she die?" Maggie asked.

Linda bristled. "She was killed."

Maggie sensed that was the end of the conversation. "I'm sorry you lost her."

Linda hung her head. "So am I." She cleared her throat. "Please take care of yourself Detective. You deserve a long, fulfilling life."

Maggie knew she had to let her go but like a moth to a flame, she was hovering dangerously close to the fire. "Do you have a place to stay?"

 _Seriously Sawyer. You offering your bed now? Desperate much._

Danvers sighed. "Detective."

"I have a couch," Maggie continued, "it's pretty comfy." _Stop before you make a fool of yourself._

"That's a bad idea Detective."

Maggie tugged at her hair. "Yes it is. Sorry. I didn't mean anything like that."

"I'm not who you think I am."

Maggie groaned. "I know you're not Alex."

Danvers shook her head. "No. I mean that I'm not a good person for you. Our belief systems are different. According to yours, I'm the type you lock up, throw away the key and never, ever look back. I have done things on my Earth that, by your standards, you would detest. The only actions I've ever regretted were the ones that hurt my fiancée. Everything else I stand firm in my beliefs."

Maggie nodded slowly, trying to understand the world that made Linda Danvers from her vague descriptions. "So you're saying that we can't be friends? We can help each other move past our issues. As long as I don't have to arrest you." Why she insisted on saving this not-Alex person was beyond her.

Linda smiled. "Friends?" She let the words roll off her tongue. "I don't know. I think I'm beyond help, Detective. Broken doesn't even begin to describe my mental and emotional state."

Maggie craved to hold her and help put her pieces back together. Instead she reached out and touched her hand. "Everyone deserves another chance at life."

Linda's eyes softened. "My fiancée also believed in second chances and atonement. Those words don't exist in my vocabulary." She rubbed her forehead. Maggie flinched because that move was so Alex.

"I'm glad we talked, Detective Sawyer."

"Likewise. So, uh, you were saying about those dirty cops."

Linda rolled her eyes. "Now you're ready to listen. I should have figured. Just be very careful about who you trust.

"I can ask the Bat to keep an eye out," Maggie said thoughtfully.

"He's busy getting evidence against the corrupted mayor so I don't think he can spare the time. Wait," Danvers narrowed her eyes. "You're talking about your new admirer."

Maggie sputtered at the statement. Her cheeks grew warm.

Danvers scowled. "Batgirl," she muttered, "what a stupid name."

Maggie laughed. Linda Danvers folded her arms and waited for her to finish. Maggie could tell she was trying very hard not to smile.

"I'm not going to ask how you know these things," Maggie chuckled, "but really. You think Batgirl is a stupid name? What about Supergirl? Wait, forget that because you're biased."

"Supergirl is a fitting title because she has super powers and is one of a kind. Batgirl is just…ridiculous."

Maggie giggled. She could not help it.

Danvers looked at her with raw affection and heat mixed with guilt. She chewed her bottom lip. "For what it's worth, you are most like her than the others I've seen in the various Earths."

Maggie's smile wavered. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Danvers dipped her head in acknowledgement. Then she exhaled and looked up at the stars, resting her hands on her hips. "I suppose Batgirl is an adequate protector and ally for this city. You could do worse," she grumbled.

Maggie grinned. "That was really hard for you to admit, right?"

Danvers threw her a withering glance. "Don't. Just don't." She paused before continuing, "I need to go."

Maggie nodded. "Will I see you again?"

"Probably not. It's better that way."

Why did it feel like she was losing Alex all over again?

"You're right," she said with a bravery she did not feel, "well, if you ever need anything or a cop, you know where I am. Next time, just call. Let me give you my number."

"That's not necessary. I don't own a phone. If I need you, I'll find you. Have a good life. Goodbye Detective." Linda Danvers melted into the shadows.

Maggie stood there for several minutes staring at the spot where the woman had disappeared. Loneliness engulfed her again. She let out a shaky breath before walking back to her car. Knowing that sleep would escape her tonight she toyed with the ideas of catching up on paper work or finding solace in a bar.

She fished the car keys out of her pocket.

"Hey," a voice greeted cautiously behind her.

Maggie turned around to face the masked crusader. Batgirl. Her mouth twitched as she remembered Danvers' annoyance at the name.

"What are you doing out this late Maggie?"

"Fighting crime the legal way," she shot back.

Batgirl raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Are you busy? We need to talk about the case I'm working on. I might need your help."

Batgirl nodded. "Of course. I'm here for you."

 _That's what you heroes always say in the beginning._


End file.
